I AM NOT ALIVE, I'M REBORN
1299 Words
MONITORING ROOM, EINKO CORP...
Mr Einko was seated before the huge center screen, he adjusted his glasses every now and then and smiled occasionally too. It has been a while since the programme kicked started and a lot of amazing twists had occurred. What worried him was the integration of that foreign programme into his mainframe.
"Mr Einko sir, we have a situation sir." One of the engineers seated by a monitor not far from him called out.
"What now." Dunno looked up lazily,but catching a glimpse of the engineer's monitor he quickly rose to his feet, alerted.
A couple monitors simultaneously gave alarms, Einko froze in his steps and turned around to face his own screen, a warning sign shone in the middle. No matter which way you look, they all gave a glint of red.
An engineer ran into the monitoring room, he was the previous engineer from the programming department and he was drenched in sweat. His glasses kept slipping every now and then. The news he broke was a disaster!
What was going on was this, a malware had generated in the mainframe and had become a very powerful virus. It had started consuming the original programming and if this was successfully done all participants would be forcefully kicked out and the virtual world of myth would crash totally. That would result in the loss of a multi billion dollar project, the virus would ruin Einko corp.
"What is the source of the virus?" Mr Einko wanted to know.
The malware originally genertated from Ben, the malware altered the programming, increased difficulty levels and added a lot of new things. Initially this was all it did until the residue spontaneously changed into a powerful virus. It couldn't be stopped because it existed as one with the main programming and can't be eliminated without total deletion of all files. This was what they wanted to prevent in the first place.
"Sir, the most incredible thing is how the virus actually functions." Terror could clearly be seen on the face of the engineer as he continued with his explanation.
"What do you mean?" With his eyes squinted, Mr Einko removed his glasses and questioned further.
The virus unlike every other had intelligence, it gradually erodes the virtual world by interacting with it. Like as if it was a player it self, it gradually weakens the Neuro world by ridding it of players. The game actually ends when a player can declare himself undefeated for a particular period of time, the virus intends to win the game and destroy the entire programme during that critical moment of laxity. It was like it wasn't a bunch of codes, but a malicious intent that had merged into the mainframe.
IN THE NEURO WORLD OF MYTH...
SUN CITY...
Matero arose earlier than usual, he could barely sleep that night either way. He kept on imagining what the imperial cultivation grounds will look like and what he could become. He could no longer predict anything from this point because it was all different now, but then he had enough wisdom and experience to cope with whatever challenge he might face. General Xiao led him straight to the imperial cultivation grounds, it was just before the imperial palace where the Nation's Lord resided. In fact to reach the palace, you had to go through the grounds at some point.
The administrative elder received the lady of light warmly, he looked like he was in his early 70s but Matero could tell he was actually way older, even the lady her self was way older. Once a cultivator reaches the middle step of the second realm, their life span increases drastically. The elder who referred to himself as Koma informed Xiao that her request was extremely difficult to grant. She was only being considered because she was powerful, influential and very dear to the city lord.
Matero also observed that the elder was terrified of General Xiao and he could easily spot why. Xiao was far stronger. Family head Guan was in the late second step of the second realm(Artists realm), this elder Koma was still at the late third step of the same second realm, but Xiao was at the early second step of the third realm (known as the realm of masters.). She could snuff out a hundred elder Koma with one finger.
"Since we strive to protect our reputation always, we will have to conduct a special screening exercise for this young lad, considering the fact that the official screening exercise just ended." The elder explained politely. "If he succeeds, he becomes a disciple in the imperial cultivation grounds."
General Xiao laughed and nodded in agreement, she was extremely confident in her pick. If the kid happened to be the reincarnation of an ancient god like that man was, then his future was immeasurable. Infact if he was even a reincarnation of that man, the he would catch up to her in no time.
"I accept." General Xiao glanced at Matero with respect in her eyes. Elder Koma observed this and became weary of Matero.
"Something about this kid must be very special." Elder Koma silently admitted to himself.
The screening exercise was scheduled for later that day, it was a bit rushed but was with Matero's consent. Xiao decided to give Matero pointers and state out his flaws in a short training session but then she was shocked. The kid had such mastery it was greater than her evaluation, everything he did was to perfection and his assimilation rate was off the charts. She could only suppress him with absolute power each time they sparred, his comprehension was not less than hers. She discovered that even her had underestimated this kid.
"Who are you?" Just as Matero was about to leave for the screening, Xiao confronted him. A knot was starting to form in her heart, she had always been dependant on her master, he was a legend she could only look up to. She loved him and had always wanted to impress him, probably just once or twice he had smiled genuinely at her. He was like a god worshipped by all he came across, he was everything, his benevolence even made her the lady of light. The fact that this might be him, in the body of this little boy who looked just like him, had the same name as him and acted the same way like him. She couldn't bear in anymore, she was losing her mind.
"Who are you?" She asked again, her fists clenched in anticipation, her robe rippled gently in the wind.
"I have always known you had sharp eyes and a strong mind Zhao Xiao, daughter of Zhao Lu. You all think just like your great grandfather. Thank you so much for your help, when the time is ripe, you will be rewarded." Matero replied with a smile, a feeling of sovereignty surged from his body. He was engulfed with so much radiance that the eyes of Xiao glittered.
Xiao couldn't cover her shock, her mouth stood agape and she quickly covered it with her hand. She trembled as tears trickled silently from her eyes. Her feelings were beyond words.
"You are alive." She whispered.
"No, I died and was reborn." Matero turned around and left for his screening.
- Writer
